Chapter 8
Maya did not tell the capos what Samuel said.
Neither did Julian.
On the drive back to Chicago, they barely spoke.
Finally Maya asked, “Were you one of them?”
Julian looked out the window.
“If I were, would you believe my answer?”
“No.”
“Then evidence first.”
That answer earned him a small amount of respect.
At the townhouse, Richard was waiting outside.
Anthony stood between him and the entrance.
“You don’t get to block me from my daughter,” Richard said.
Maya stepped from the car.
“You can see Lily when she has a neutral adult present.”
Richard stared at her.
“You’ve already talked to lawyers.”
“Yes.”
“You’re really doing this.”
“You made that decision at the birthday party.”
Richard laughed.
“You think this is about Vanessa?”
“No.”
That surprised him.
Maya walked closer.
“I think Vanessa is the easiest thing to understand about you.”
His expression changed.
“The ring is harder.”
Richard lowered his voice.
“Give it to me.”
There.
No denial anymore.
“Why?”
“You have no idea what you’re carrying.”
“Then explain it.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
Maya almost smiled.
“You grabbed me by the hair in front of our daughter.”
“You were about to expose something you don’t understand.”
“So you did know what was in the box.”
Richard realized his mistake.
Maya continued.
“You were watching me.”
Silence.
“For how long?”
Richard looked toward Anthony.
Maya said, “He already knows enough.”
Richard’s voice dropped.
“I knew Eleanor gave something to someone before she died.”
“And you married the woman who worked for her.”
Richard stared at Maya.
Something inside her already knew the answer.
But she needed him to say it.
“Was meeting me an accident?”
Richard did not answer.
Maya felt the last remaining illusion in her marriage loosen.
Not break yet.
Loosen.
Richard reached for her hand.
Anthony stepped forward.
Richard stopped.
“Maya, listen to me.”
“I have been.”
“You’re opening a door Eleanor spent years keeping shut.”
“She gave me the key.”
“That ring is not a key.”
“Then why do you want it?”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
Maya walked past him.
Before entering the townhouse, she turned.
“One more thing.”
Richard waited.
“Vanessa’s phone has seven weeks of messages about my necklace.”
His face lost color.
It was slight.
But enough.
Maya went inside.
That evening Lily asked why Daddy was not staying with them.
Maya sat on the edge of her bed.
“Because Mommy and Daddy have some grown-up problems.”
“Is he bad?”
Maya struggled with the answer.
Richard had betrayed her.
Humiliated her.
Used her.
But he was Lily’s father.
“He made bad choices.”
“Do you still love him?”
Maya looked at her daughter.
Children could ask questions armies avoided.
“I don’t know.”
That was the truth.
Later, after Lily slept, Maya opened Eleanor’s old ring box again.
She pressed the torn velvet lining.
Something hard was beneath it.
Not paper this time.
Metal.
May you like
Maya carefully cut the seam.
A tiny brass key fell into her palm.
